Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly vol. 7.pdf/306

At the source of one of the Upper and Eastern tributaries of the St. Wakine, is Walker's Pass, through which Captain Walker, the discoverer of the Pass, conducted, in the Autumn of 1843, a part of the California emigrants, with whom we traveled from the States to Fort Hall. More frequently it is called "the Point of the Mountain." It is described as being a beautiful, though narrow, valley, cutting the mountain from its summit almost to its base; affording the only good, natural pass through this rugged barrier into the valuable portions of California. Through this, with a little labor, it is believed, that a very passable wagon road may be made; but being near the parallel of 35 deg., it is entirely too far to the South to be of much advantage to emigrants from the United States who cross the Rocky Mountains at the Great Pass. This pass through the Rocky Mountains is in latitude 42 deg. 23 min., and the point on the Pacific Coast where emigrants would wish, generally, to terminate their journey, is between latitudes 37 and 38 deg, so that, after striking the California Mountains they would have to make nearly five degrees of Southing—out of their course—in order to pass around "the Point of the Mountains," and afterwards, to make nearly three of Northing to regain what they had lost. This would be making a circuit of between four and five hundred miles in order to accomplish that which, by a different route, might be accomplished in about two hundred. This shorter route is, however, a very steep, rugged, and difficult one, but preferable, we believe, to the other on account of the great difference in distance. But should emigrants go into California by the way of Taos, or by some more Southern pass through the Rocky Mountains than that by which they go at the present, then will Captain Walker's Pass be found an excellent way into the Western portion of this country. It will,